Category: Oakland Athletics

A’s-Giants Bay Bridge series commentary with Jeremy Kahn–Twenty year of interleague play

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By Jeremy Kahn

photo by: theageofconsent.BlogSpot.com: Battle of the Bay poster of the 1989 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s

OAKLAND-Ever since Bud Selig created interleague play back in 1997 there is one thing that has stayed consistent, the rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s for bragging rights in the Bay Area.

Of course, the fans all over the Bay Area have fun with this rivalry; because of the proximity of the two cities to each other.

Entering play tonight, the A’s have a close 56-52 lead over the Giants in the 108 games between the two teams.

When the first series took place 19 years ago, the Giants and the A’s split the four-game series with each team winning one at home and one on the road.

In 1998, the two teams once again split the four-game series with each team sweeping one another on the road.

Over the next two seasons, the two teams each went 3-3 against each other, as in 2000, both teams reached the postseason. It was the first time that the two teams made the postseason in the same season for the first time since the Battle of the Bay World Series that the A’s swept 4-0 in 1989.

With the 2001 season, the Giants became the first team took take a series between the two teams, as the reigning National League Western Division Champions defeated the reigning American League Western Division Champions four games to two.

During the 2002 season, the A’s took four out of the six from the Giants, who go on to win the National League Championship, but fell short in the World Series, as they lost to the Anaheim Angels in a thrilling seven-game series.

Over the next two seasons, the team’s once again split the season series, with each team winning three games in both 2003 and 2004. Eric Byrnes hit for the cycle on Fathers’ Day at what was then called Pacific Bell Park.

The Giants two out of three over the A’s at SBC Park in 2005, but got by swept by the A’s for the first time at the Coliseum.

In the 2006 season meetings between the two teams, the two teams split their season series. It was the seventh time in the 10 years of interleague that the would split their season series.

During the two-year span of 2007-2008, the A’s took nine out of 12 from their Bay Area rivals, as the A’s won all three games at AT&T Park in both 2007-2008.

Between 2009-2011, the Giants began to dominate the series, especially at AT&T Park, as during all three years, the Giants 9-0 versus the A’s at AT&T Park; however during that same time, the A’s swept the Giants at the Coliseum in 2010 and 2011. In the 2010 and 2011 Bay Bridge Series, each team swept one other on their home field.

Over the next four years, the Giants took 11 of the 20 games between the two teams, including going 5-1 versus the A’s in 2015.

The Giants longest winning streak against the A’s is six games, while their longest losing streak is seven games.

A’s Minor League Spotlight: Richie Martin

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martin

By Charlie O. Mallonee

Richie Martin is ranked at the fourth best prospect in the Oakland Athletics minor league system. Martin was the A’s first-round selection (number 20 overall) in 2015 out of the University of Florida.

Martin was drafted as a shortstop but most college shortstops wind up playing at some other position as a professional. That will not be the case for Martin. He possesses all of the tools necessary to play shortstop in the big leagues.

Martin has impressive range and speed. He also has that elusive first-step quickness that is needed to play short. Martin has an above average arm that allows him to get rid of the ball quickly. He is also an above average fielder. Think top 10 plays of the night.

As a hitter, Martin is seen as average with below average power. He is at his best when he sprays line drives to the opposite field. Martin is likely to be a number seven to nine in the order hitter.

The key for Martin to make it to the big leagues is not his bat but his defense. His skills at shortstop alone could make him an everyday player in the majors.

Martin is currently assigned to the Stockton Ports of the high Class-A California League. His season got off to a slow start as he injured his knee sliding into a base. Martin missed six weeks due to surgery to repair his left medial meniscus.

Martin has now appeared in 28 games for the Ports and has a .257 batting average, .330 on base percentage and .310 slugging percentage. He has 29 hits in 113 at bats and four steals in eight attempts.

Scouts speculate that Martin will be ready to play in the big leagues in 2018 which then begs the question what do you do with Martin? Marcus Semien has become a double threat by producing with power on offense and showing vastly improved defense. Semien’s emergence may make Martin available as a trade piece.

Teams are always looking for solid defense so Martin could be packaged to help bring the A’s players to fill holes where they see needs at this time. Whether it is as a player or as a trade asset, Richie Martin is an important part of the Oakland Athletics future.

The A’s outlast the Giants, win a Thriller

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by Jerry Feitelberg

sfgate.com photo: Oakland A’s pitcher Marc Rzepczynski (not pictured) plunks San Francisco Giant hitter Gregor Blanco in the bottom of the seventh inning at AT&T Park on Tuesday night

SAN FRANCISCO–What a game. Neither team would give an inch as they battled tooth and nail all the way until Ryan Madson struck out Brandon Crawford to end the monumental struggle. The A’s outlasting the Giants 13-11. The Game featured both teams scoring twenty-four runs and producing thirty hits. Neither starter, Kendall Graveman for the A’s nor the Giants’ Albert Suarez figured in the decision. The A’s used six pitchers and the Giants countered with eight. Zach Neal received credit for the win, and Javy Lopez took the loss for San Francisco. The game was wildly entertaining, and the fans of both teams cheered their heroes on, but it was the A’s fans that went home with a big smile on their faces.

The Giants scored two runs in the bottom of the third. Angel Pagan and Buster Posey singled to get things going for the Orange and Black. Brandon Crawford, leading the team in RBIs, came through with a blast that bounced off the wall in centerfield to drive in Pagan and Posey.  The Giants are ahead 2-0 after three complete.

In the top of the fourth, with one out, A’s left fielder, Khris Davis, put a big fly into the left field seats to cut the A’s deficit to one. For Davis, it was his team-leading nineteenth home run of the year. Giants still in the lead 2-1 in the middle of the fourth. Kendall Graveman couldn’t hold the Giants down in the Giants’ half of the inning. The Giants, who had recorded six hits off Graveman in the first three innings, continued to have success at the plate. Singles by Ramiro Pena and Conor Gillaspie put runners at first and second with no out. Suarez laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Denard Span walked to load the bases and Pena, and Gillaspie scored on a single by Angel Pagan. The Giants own a 4-1 lead after four.

The A’s took the lead in the sixth. They sent nine men to the plate as they batted around and scored four runs on three hits. Giant pitchers walked two, and an error by Giant third baseman helped the A’s score the runs. Albert Suarez pitched very well, but it will be a no-decision for him.The key blows in the inning were a double by Stephen Vogt to drive in two and a pinch-hit single by Billy Butler that drove in two more runs for the Green and Gold. John Axford is now pitching for Oakland in relief of Kendall Graveman. In the Giants’ half of the inning, they tied the game as Axford just couldn’t get anyone out. He gave up a single and a walk to put two men on with no out. Leadoff hitter Denard Span doubled to left to drive in Conor Gillespie with the Giants’ fifth run of the game. Marc Rzepczynski is in for Oakland with runners on at second and third with no out. Rzepczynski retired the next two batters on just two pitches then issued an intentional walk to Buster Posey to load the bases. The strategy to have a lefty pitcher face a lefty batter backfired as Giants’ shortstop Brandon Crawford tripled to left-center to clear the bases and put the Giants back in the lead 8-5.

The hits keep on coming as each team comes back to regain the lead. The A’s scored five times in the eighth to take the lead 10-8. Khris Davis started the rally when he was hit by a pitch. Stephen Vogt walked to put two men on with no out. Marcus Semien singled to drive in Davis with the A’s sixth run. Jake Smolinski, pinch-hitting for the pitcher, blasted a Javy Lopez deep into the bleachers in left field that allowed the A’s to take the lead 9-8. The A’s added another run when Coco doubled, and Jed Lowrie knocked him in with a single. The A’s batted around for the second time in the game. The Giants refuse to quit. With two out, they managed to produce their ninth run of the contest when Brandon Crawford walked, went to second on a single and scored on another single. Ryan Madson was able to escape the jam when he retired Gillaspie for the final out of the inning.

The A’s continued the onslaught in the ninth. Santiago Casilla, the former Athletic and now the closer for San Francisco, gave up a double to Stephen Vogt with one out. Casilla walked Semien and then committed a balk to move the runners up a base. Josh Phegley, who came into the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, doubled down the left-field line to drive in two more runs. Coco Crisp singled to drive in Phegley with the A’s thirteenth run of the night. Coco went to second on the throw home. The Giants Jarrett Parker hit a solo homer leading off the ninth to cut the deficit to three. Denard Span also hit a solo job into the right field bleachers as the Giants now trail by two 13-11 with no out.

Game Notes- The A’s activated right fielder Josh Reddick off the DL and to make room for him on the roster, they sent Max Muncy back to Nashville. The A’s also announced that lefty starter Rich Hill will pitch on Saturday and Daniel Mengden will be moved back a day to Sunday. Hill has been on the DL for over a month with a groin strain.

The Line score for the A’s was 13 runs-twelve hits and no errors while the Giants produced eleven runs-18 hits and one error. The last time the Giants lost a nine-inning game in which they had eighteen or more hits was August 7th, 1943 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Game three of the series will be played at the Oakland Coliseum Wednesday night at 7:05 pm. Lefty Sean Manaea will pitch for Oakland, and  Jake Peavy will be on the mound for the Giants.

Time of game was three hours and fifty-three minutes. 41,730 fans watched the titanic struggle between the two Bay Area rivals.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s have now won four of last five just three behind 3rd place Seattle

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USA Today photo: Oakland A’s Danny Valencia who has hit .342 with 10 homers, 32 RBIs, since coming off the DL has helped provide some punch for the A’s recent success

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O, before the last podcast we haven’t had too many positive things happen to the Oakland A’s but the A’s have had recent positive things happen to them. First of all the A’s have gone 5-2 since we talked the last time. We talked about when they went to LA to take on the Angels they had a four game series down there and we talked about the fact they needed to go 2-2 in that series.

Well the A’s went 3-4 and they realistically had a shot at sweeping that series they didn’t do it but they came very close and then they had the opener at the Bay Bridge series Monday night and the A’s took that first game 8-3 from San Francisco at AT&T. So that was a real positive. They also have now climbed out of the AL West cellar and are now three games back of the third place Seattle Mariners if the A’s can get hot and sweep the Giants in San Francisco and in Oakland they would have a shot at passing up the Mariners.

Charlie O does the A’s podcasts for http://www.sportsradioservice.com each week

The A’s Daniel Mengden pitches Oakland to a win over the Giants

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by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: The Oakland A’s Danny Valencia is greeted at home plate by Yonder Alfonso scoring one of the A’s eight runs on Monday night at AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO–The Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants squared off in game one of a four-game series. The first two games will be played at AT&T Park in San Francisco, and the last two games will be at the Oakland Coliseum. Jeff Samardzija, who played for Oakland in 2014, started for the Giants, and he was opposed by the A’s rookie, Daniel Mengden. Mengden, without question, was the star of the game. He went seven and two-thirds innings and allowed just four hits and one run and won his first win in the Major Leagues. The A’s fans in attendance gave him a rousing standing ovation as he left the field. Mengden has pitched well in all four starts since being called up from Nashville. His ERA dropped to 2.45. Samardzija, on the other hand, took the loss and his record is now 8-5. Samardzija is now 1-3 in his last six starts after going 7-3 with an ERA of 2.84.

The A’s rocked Samardzija for five hits and five runs in the top of the second inning as they batted around, sending nine men to the plate. Danny Valencia singled to get things going. Khris Davis drove him in with the A’s first run with a double. Yonder Alonso walked to put men on at first and second with no out. A’s shortstop, second on the team with fourteen big flies, hit his fifteenth of the year to drive in three and put the A’s in front 4-0. Samardzija retired the next two hitters but Coco Crisp singled, and Jed Lowrie followed with a double to drive in Crisp with the A’s fifth run.

The A’s added a run in the sixth. With two out, Samardzija gave up back-to-back doubles to Yonder Alonso and Marcus Semien. Semien has knocked in four runs so far in the game. The A’s continued to hit Giants pitching as they scored two more runs in the seventh. Chris Stratton was now pitching for San Francisco. Stratton walked one and allowed three hits as the A’s stretched the lead to 8-0.

The Giants scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth. The first two Giant hitters singled to start the rally. They both advanced on a wild pitch to put men on at second and third with no out. Mengden walked Jarrett Parker to load the bases. Giant pitcher Chris Stratton  hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Ramiro Pena scored the first run of the game for the Giants. Mengden walked Joe Panik, and that was the last batter that he would face. A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in Fernando Rodriguez to pitch. The Giants put another run on the board when Rodriguez uncorked a wild pitch while Brandon Belt was at bat. Belt struck out to end the inning. The A’s hold a commanding lead 8-2 after eight. The A’s Zach Neal could not close out the game as the Giants nailed him for three hits to score their third run of the game. Marc Rzepczynski threw one pitch, and he got Gregor Blanco to ground out to end the game.

Game Notes- The hitting stars for Oakland Monday night were Marcus Semien and Khris Davis. Semien had a double and a homer and drove in four runs. Davis had two singles and two ribbies.The A’s are 4-1 on the current road trip and are averaging 6.6 runs per game.

The A’s also announced that they claimed RHP Nick Tepesch off waivers from the LA Dodgers and have designated lefty Eric Surkamp for assignment.

Tepesch, 27, is 9-18 with a 4.68 ERA in 43 major-league appearances, 40 of them starts, with the Rangers (2013-14) and Dodgers (2016). He will report to Triple-A Nashville, though manager Bob Melvin expects to see Tepesch with the A’s at some point this season.

The A’s and Giants continue the four-game series Tuesday night in San Francisco. The Giants will send Albert Suarez (3-1,3.68) to the hill, and the A’s will counter with Kendall Graveman (3-6,4.68) Gametime will be at 7:15 PM.

Time of game was two hours and forty-three minutes, and 41,442 fans watched Mendgen’s outstanding performance.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Reddick rehabbing, is free agent after the season Giants rumored to be interested

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imgarcade.com file photo: Oakland A’s Josh Reddick the subject of trade rumors and the Giants have an interest in Reddick

On the A’s podcast with Jerry, A’s outfielder Josh Reddick may not be with the club for Monday night’s game he’s 3-20 in his rehab down in the minor leagues he may take a day off before he comes back to big club. The Giants might able to get him from the free agent market at the end of the season. The A’s are also in negotiation with Reddick too and they can also give him a qualified offer from $16 to $17 million and get an extra year out of him.

There’s lots happening with Josh Reddick and the Giants are also waiting for Hunter Pence to come back. Reddick could play left field for the Giants but it’s pure speculation at this point. Would Reddick be a valuable addition to the Giants? Without question, would they be smart in going after him? It depends on what the Giants would have to give up to get him.

Jerry has the full coverage on the A’s listen below for the podcast and each at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: No Christmas for Angels in June as A’s take three out of four

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez
photo by newslocker.com: All the Los Angeles Angels want for Christmas is an escape from the cellar as the team celebrates Christmas in June
ANAHEIM. Nobody wants to finish in the cellar. The Athletics did just that in 2015, today the Angels and the Athletics seem to be trading last place every other day. None of these teams are going to win the pennant, that is safe to say, but one thing for sure, there is no joy this year here at The Big A (Angel Stadium), all the happiness is just 1.5 miles away on Katella Avenue at Disneyland “The Happiest Place On Earth”. Both of these teams have many injuries, especially to their pitching staff (starters)and some position players also, most notable for the A’s right fielder Josh Reddick.
However, the biggest difference between these two clubs is their payrolls. The Angels are a Rolls Royce and the Athletics a Prius. These are two good cars, no doubt about it, but they are at very different levels of economic status The Los Angeles Angels payroll this 2016 season $159,687,833(No. 6 in baseball)while the Oakland Athletics $77,223,166(No 27)among all 30 teams.
The Angels continue to average around 40,000 per game, in the Los Angeles area, twice the population of the Bay Area, you expect to draw that many and then of course there are promotions here like this Saturday’s” Christmas in June” (six months before Christmas) where the Angels celebrate with Christmas wreathes, Christmas trees all over the park, a visit by Santa, live Reindeer’s, and all that you expect on December 25th, except a present for manager Mile Scioscia (longest tenured manager in MLB 17 season with the ball-club) the Athletics brought  him a sack of coal as the A’s beat the Angels 7 -4 on Saturday. Each Saturday Fireworks are an attraction at Angel Stadium, while next door at Disneyland there are Fireworks each night around 9:30PM.
This four game series went to the Athletics, winning the first three games, then on the last game of the series the Angels won with a walk off sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded and one out, from the bat of rookie Jefrey Marte, scoring Mike Trout with the winning run, Angels. The season series is now six wins for the Angels and four wins for the Athletics. They have many battles left since they meet 19 times each year.
The Angels expected to contend this season, while the Athletics did not, but it is very likely one of these two teams will finish last, the A’s do not want that badge of dishonor for the second season in a row, and the Angels definitely not.
It is a good rivalry between Northern and Southern California,a not close to the Giants and Dodgers, but nonetheless a good rivalry for two teams that began play in California in the 1960’s.
A’s in 1968, and the Angels in 1961. There are A’s fans that travel here, but you do not hear the cry of “beat LA…beat LA” like you hear at Giants-Dodger games and who is going to say “beat Anaheim”? it just doesn’t rhyme well…
I always noted that that the “beat LA”shout was mostly when the Dodgers play in San Francisco, when the Giants play at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers fans could care less about the Giants, they are just another team, so as far as the rivalry is concerned (with fans) it is mostly in San Francisco.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the TV Spanish voice for the Angels and the radio Spanish voice for the A’s and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
  

Oakland A’s Sunday game wrap up: Halos score duces in late innings for comeback win vs. A’s 7-6

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 by Jessica Kwong

AP photo: Oakland A’s  Coco Crisp waves in the A’s dugout against the Los Angeles Angels after hitting a grand slam in the fourth inning at Angels Stadium Sunday

ANAHEIM–When Oakland Athletics’ starting pitcher Sonny Gray walked off the mound after six innings on Sunday afternoon, his club up 6-2 over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he and his teammates thought they were on their way to sweeping in the four-game series.

 Instead, the Angels scores two runs in both the seventh and eight innings, and in the ninth, third baseman Jefry Marte made a sacrifice fly that allowed the Halos to come away with a 7-6 win.

 A’s manager Bob Melvin said it was “for sure” disappointing.

 “When you have a 6-2 lead, you’d like to think you can finish it off,” Melvin said. “We had a couple of guys unavailable in the bullpen, but felt like we still had the right guys to get it done.”

 Unlike the first three contests at Angel Stadium, the Angels captured the first runs. C.J. Cron singled on a line drive to right fielder Jake Smolinski and Kole Calhoun scored to put Anaheim up 1-0 in the first inning.

 Later in the inning, the Angels’ Johnny Giavotella got out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Coco Crisp and Mike Trout scored, lifting the Halos up 2-0.

 Gray said he “didn’t feel great” early in the game.

 “I didn’t have my best stuff, but we made some adjustments,” the right-handed pitcher said.

 In the second inning, the A’s Yonder Alonso grounded out and Smolinski scored and Oakland trailed 2-1.

 The A’s got a major boost in the fourth inning, when Crisp hit a grand slam to left center field, with Billy Butler, Josh Phegley and Yonder Alonso scoring, putting Oakland up 5-2. It was Crisp’s seventh homer on first pitch and his third career grand slam.

 “He’s playing really great,” Melvin said of Crisp. “A grand slam for us after winning three games, we felt like we were in a really good position to win this game. Typically he plays really well here.”

 On the heels of the grand slam, A’s shortstop Marcus Semian hit a home run, his 14th, on a fly ball to the left, giving Oakland a 6-2 lead. It was the third time this season Oakland has gotten back-to-back homers.

 Replacing Gray, A’s right-handed pitcher Fernando Rodriguez allowed two runs in the seventh inning. Trout hit a home run on a fly ball to center field and Andrelton Simmons scored, cutting Oakland’s lead to 6-4.

 After that single inning, right-handed pitcher John Axford stepped on the mound, but allowed two runs in the eighth inning. Marte singled on a line drive to Crisp, Johnny Giavotella scored, and the Angels trailed 6-5. Then Simmons singled on a ground ball to Crisp and Marte scored, tying the game at 6-6.

 “We just wasted a good effort by Sonny, a good, strong start by him, another big day for Coco at the plate,” Axford said.

 Oakland got a third out in the ninth inning when Khris Davis was caught trying to steal second base.

 With the game in the Angels’ hands, Marte hit a sacrifice fly that gave the Halos a 7-6 walkoff victory, the club’s fourth this season.

 With the first three wins in the series, the A’s overtook the Angels in the standings. After Sunday’s loss, though, the A’s (32-43) barely top the Angels (32-44) in the American League.

 “Wins are hard to get, it’s not like every time you go out there. But all you can do is continue to put your team in a good chance to win and that’s where in my opinion, the starting pitcher’s job is,” Gray said. “And if you keep doing that, sooner or later it’ll turn around.”

 The A’s return to the Bay Area on Monday for the Bay Bridge Series, with first pitch at the home of the San Francisco Giants at 7:15 p.m.

     
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Oakland A’s Saturday game wrap: Overton bears down after giving up a pair of homers as A’s get 7-3 win

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by Jessica Kwong

photo from sfgate.com: Oakland A’s starter Dillon Overton pitches to the Los Angeles Angels in the second inning at Angels Stadium on Saturday night

 ANAHEIM In his major league debut on Saturday night, A’s left-hand pitcher Dillon Overton gave up two home runs in the first inning, but kept his composure and positioned Oakland for a 7-3 win and a chance to sweep the series at Angel Stadium.

 Continuing to pitch after the two home runs was “maybe the most impressive thing” about Overton, Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. “It speaks volumes about the character of the young man.”

 Oakland took a 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the first inning when third baseman Danny Valencia hit a home run on a fly ball to center field and left fielder Coco Crisp scored.

 But at the bottom of the inning, Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun hit a home run on a fly ball to right field, and the club’s star Mike Trout hit a homer on a fly ball to left field to tie the game at 2-2. It was the third time this season the Angels have hit back-to-back homers – and the second time coming from Calhoun and Trout.

 Overton kept the homers in perspective. Trout, he said, has been an all-star for most of his career in the major leagues.

 “I was frustrated at the same time, because I let both of those pitches up, but I tried to come back from it and keep throwing strikes and keep hitters off balance,” said the pitcher who debuted after 53 minor league appearances.

 In the third inning, A’s center fielder Stephen Vogt got out on a sacrifice fly to Trout and Crisp scored, bringing Oakland up 3-2. A’s left fielder Khris Davis singled on a sharp line drive to left fielder Shane Robinson and Crisp scored again, bumping Oakland’s lead up to 4-2 in the fifth inning.

 At the bottom of the fifth, Overton threw to Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols who hit a home run, his 574th, to pass Harmon Killbrew for sole possession of 11th on the all-time list. The hit cut Oakland’s lead to 4-3.

 “Pujols – you have to give it to him, he hit that a long way,” Overton said. “First time out there, you kind of got to admire the distance of how far he hit it.”

 Overton left the mound after allowing three solo homers in 5 1/2 innings. He called it “awesome.”

 “You know, I got taken out, I was walking off the field. I was looking at the stands and my family. You know, it almost makes your eyes want to start watering a little bit,” Overton said. “It’s just a surreal feeling. It’s a dream come true. Not many people can get their first big league win in their first outing.”

 About 20 family members, mostly from his home in Oklahoma, watched from the lower deck.

 “They were the only ones standing, screaming and yelling when I was walking off, so I knew exactly who they were,” Overton chuckled, adding that even the parents and brother of his best friend from high school were there to support him.

 In the sixth inning, Crisp singled on a ground ball to Trout and shortstop Marcus Semien and first baseman Max Muncy scored to give Oakland a 6-3 lead. Valencia singled on a sharp ground ball to Angels third baseman Gregorio Petit, and Crisp scored again.

 “That’s the Coco we know and love,” Vogt said. “He’s a special baseball player – you never know. He could do that every day of his career and you wouldn’t be surprised.”

 The Angels tried to make a comeback in the ninth inning – and had the bases loaded – but fell to Oakland 7-3.

 Oakland’s third straight win showed off the club’s capabilities, Melvin said.

 “We’ve seen multiple times this year we can score a bunch of runs, hit the ball out of the ballpark and do a lot of good things defensively, and then we go stagnant for a period of time,” the manager said. “So to put together three good games in a row like this certainly confidence-wise, should be good for us.”

 The A’s have won four of the last five games but are 7-13 over the last 20 contests. They have the fourth worst record in the American League – but rank higher than the Angels, with the second worst record.

 First pitch for the fourth and last game in the series at Angel Stadium for the A’s and Angels 12:35 PM on Sunday

Oakland A’s Friday game wrap up: Davis saves the day with three run homer as A’s get win 7-4

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by Jessica Kwong

photo courtesy San Francisco Chronicle: Oakland A’s Khris Davis is congratulated after hitting a three run home run against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night in Anaheim

ANAHEIM Oakland A’s starting pitcher Eric Surkamp didn’t have his best night on the mound, but he and his teammates battled and came out with a 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

 “It was huge for us to kind of have one of those where we get them and they punch us in the mouth and we come right back,” A’s center fielder Stephen Vogt said. “So it was a really good game for us to kind of have that back and forth come out on the winning end.”

 Vogt hit a home run on a line drive to center field in the first inning. The play, after review by the umpire, gave Oakland a 1-0 lead at Angel Stadium.

 Then the Angels’ Albert Pujols hit a home run on a fly ball to left field – tying Harmon Killebrew for 11th place on the all-time home run list, with 573. Mike Trout scored off the homer and the Angels took a 2-1 lead in the inning.

 Vogt said Surkamp “really calmed down” after Pujols hit the homer.

 “Obviously he would have liked to go longer we would have liked him to go longer but at the end of the day he started a game we won and he gave us chance to win and he battled,” Vogt said of Surkamp. “You know, he didn’t have his best stuff tonight and he battled and got some good hitters out on some quality pitches.”

 Trout reached on a throwing error by Surkamp, allowing Andrelton Simmons to score and the Angels to take a 3-1 lead in the second inning.

 Surkamp wasn’t happy about that.

 “I don’t know, for some reason I thought I was closer than I was and then I turned around and I couldn’t even tell you what happened,” he said. “I was pretty frustrated myself. You know, in that situation, just keeping another run off the board and you know it didn’t end up hurting us too bad, but those plays got to be made.”

 In the third inning, Oakland’s Billy Burns singled on a line drive to center fielder Trout and Marcus Semien scored, cutting the Angels’ lead to 3-2.

 But Trout singled on a line drive to right fielder Max Muncy and Shane Robinson scored, bringing the Angels up again 4-2 in the fourth inning.

 The A’s played catch up again in the fifth inning. Muncy grounded out but first baseman Yonder Alonso scored and Oakland trailed 4-3. Then Burns got out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Trout, allowing Semien to score and tying the game at 4-4.

 The A’s Khamis Davis saved the day. He hit a home run on a line drive to left center field, and Vogt and Danny Valencia scored to put Oakland up 7-4 at the top of the eighth inning.

 “You look at his productivity numbers and he does his damage in a hurry,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Davis. “I mean he may go a few games without getting hits and then all of a sudden, he knocks in three runs at once and a lot of them are big.”

 With the victory Friday night, the A’s overstepped the Angels in standings, but have the third worst record in the American League and are the sixth worst in the majors.

 First pitch for game three of the series of four is at 7:04 p.m. Saturday at Angel Stadium.

     
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